NMSA backs NSF, rejects non-indigenous candidate

Nagaland Medical Students’ Association (NMSA) has expressed solidarity with the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and strongly opposed the candidature of Ms. Vatsala Panghal under the Nagaland State Quota for NEET UG (MBBS/BDS) 2025.
NMSA president Pito S Rochill stated that while Ms. Panghal (NEET UG 2025 score: 455, AIR: 113803, Nagaland State Rank: Category III, S. No. 1) had listed a Kohima address owing to her father’s current posting, her domicile and permanent belonging was Haryana. The association maintained that she was neither a bona fide resident nor an indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland and did not belong to any of the recognised Scheduled Tribes of the State. It pointed out that the state quota for professional courses in Nagaland was strictly reserved for candidates who are Nagas by blood and indigenous inhabitants of the state, as per existing laws and policies. It asserted that as a resident of Haryana, she was eligible to seek admission through her home state counselling process, but not under Nagaland’s quota.
NMSA said that claiming the state quota on the strength of temporary residence or service postings constituted misuse of a highly sensitive and protective policy measure.
NMSA maintained that Nagaland received only around 40-42 MBBS seats annually from Central pool towards its state quota, which was already insufficient to meet the aspirations of thousands of deserving indigenous students. Allowing non-indigenous to claim these seats, it cautioned, would directly deprive genuine aspirants of their rightful opportunities.
NMSA asserted that the issue was not a mere matter of a single application but of principle and precedent. It cautioned that permitting such practices would amount to misuse of the reservation framework and set a dangerous trend that could gradually erode the rights and opportunities of indigenous Nagas. In this regard, NMSA said it stood firmly with the NSF in demanding immediate disqualification of Ms. Panghal from consideration under the state quota. It also urged competent authorities to institute stricter verification/scrutiny mechanisms to ensure that non-indigenous candidates do not exploit the state quota in future.
NMSA called upon the authorities to treat the matter with utmost seriousness to uphold the sanctity of the reservation policy and safeguard educational rights of indigenous people.